News Across the World

Thought-provoking

“If we decide we can’t even talk about guns, we have to admit that murdered children don’t really bother us. Let’s just admit it. Whoever refuses to even discuss guns must be willing to say that he or she accepts groups of dead children every so often as the everyday cost of doing business. ” Are Guns More Important to You Than Children? – Role / Reboot

“Informally, I’ve also had the chance to meet rich people. My sense from those encounters is that being rich is nice, but it’s hardly the panacea people make it to be. I doubt many of those rich people are significantly happier than they would be with only a moderate income. Some may even be less happy.” Is Getting Rich Worth It – Scott H Young

Religion

“Atheists (and, really, all reflective people) need well-developed understandings of what (if anything) makes moral norms objectively binding, of what (if anything) makes good things objectively good, of what the best decision procedures for moral actions are, of how best to inculcate good values in the future generations, etc. These are deeply serious questions of enormous potential importance to the future of humanity. Detailed, deeply insightful answers have been developed, can be developed, and are being developed by truly cutting edge philosophers past and present, and their work should be studied vigorously by atheists.” Take Philosophy Seriously (Tip 7 of 10 For Reaching Out to Religious Believers) – Camels With Hammers

Equality

” Everyone is worried about hurting creepy dude’s feelings or making it weird for creepy dude. Better yet, everyone is worried about how the other dudes in the friend group will feel if they are called out for enabling creepy dude. Women are worried that if they push the issue, that the entire friend group will side with creepy dude or that they’ll be blamed for causing “drama.” Look at how LW #323 put it: ”how can I approach this subject with my boyfriend, and make him understand a) how serious this is, and b) that he is not responsible for Ben’s reactions, without making him feel defensive?”
Wouldn’t want someone who covers up for and defends a proto-rapist to have to have SADFEELS, right? (LW, it’s not your fault you’re asking the question this way, it’s just that our culture sucks about this and your boyfriend and his friends have been giving you constant messages that Ben is to be coddled while you are to be shushed in the hopes that it will all blow over).” #322 & #323 “My friend group has a case of the Creepy Dude. How do we clear that up?” – Captain Awkward

“Advertisers and broadcasters will say they are only doing what the focus group research tells them to do, but that excuse only lasts so long. There are lots of ploys advertisers don’t use, like blatant racism, even though it might succeed with certain audiences. Just because something works doesn’t mean you should use it. Just think, in recent history a line like “Even a woman can use it!” was perfectly acceptable. Now, I hope, we would all view that as miles over the line of acceptability. And yet, we use the same logic, and sometimes even the same language, to talk to men about being contributors in their households and engaged parents. Isn’t it time we let this trope fall by the wayside and become part of our sexist history instead of our slightly-less-sexist present?” Why Does TV Love to Portray Dads as Idiots – Role / Reboot

“If toys were marketed solely according to racial and ethnic stereotypes, customers would be outraged, and rightfully so. Yet every day, people encounter toy departments that are rigidly segregated — not by race, but by gender. There are pink aisles, where toys revolve around beauty and domesticity, and blue aisles filled with toys related to building, action and aggression.” Gender-Based Toy Marketing Returns – NY Times

“I need to be a feminist, because I find it intolerable that every day, women suffer from sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and rape in massive proportions, with justice rarely being met adequately.
I find it shocking that women, half of the population, have to, understandably, abide by a “rape schedule” – avoid certain alleys and places, be home before a certain time, not walk alone – because of their fear of the other half of the population.” Why as a Man, I Need Feminism – Everyday Feminism

Health

“So what’s going on? And why is everybody suddenly blaming wheat?
The answer, it appears, has to do with a whole lot of nastiness that’s present in grain-based foods. Wheat raises blood sugar levels, causes immunoreactive problems, inhibits the absorption of important minerals, and aggravates our intestines.
And much of this may stem from the fact that wheat simply ain’t what it used to be.” Why you should probably stop eating wheat – io9

“Allow yourself to feel your feelings. Breathe them in & out, & don’t judge or berate yourself. It’s totally okay to feel bad, sad, disappointed, or sick. When you start to guilt-trip yourself about your feelings, you do yourself an enormous disservice. Know that it is perfectly normal & okay to have an emotional response to whatever has happened.Don’t push your feelings away. Just accept them. Sometimes it helps to say to yourself (either in your head or out loud), “Yes, I feel sad/angry/lost/hopeless! Yes, I do! I accept this.” This might make you feel silly, but it can really help take some of the pressure off.” Sad Girl Walking: What To Do When You Feel Like Your Heart Has Been Ripped Out – Gala Darling